How life has changed in Nuneaton and Bedworth

Nuneaton and Bedworth's population increased by about 6,100 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 130,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Nuneaton and Bedworth increased by 5.1%, from about 119,000 to 125,000.

The addition of just over 6,100 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Nuneaton and Bedworth was home to, on average, 11 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Nuneaton and Bedworth

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Nuneaton and Bedworth increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than the West Midlands and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 3,600 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 12.0% of people in Nuneaton and Bedworth are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Nuneaton and Bedworth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

Nuneaton and Bedworth saw the West Midlands' third-largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just under one in two (49.8%) people aged 16 and over in Nuneaton and Bedworth said they were married, compared with 55.9% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 25.4% to 30.7%.

Across the region, only Worcester (from 51.0% to 44.7%) and Cannock Chase (from 55.7% to 49.6%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of married people.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 52.4% to 47.7%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Nuneaton and Bedworth

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Nuneaton and Bedworth was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.0 points.

In 2011, 25.6% of respondents in Nuneaton and Bedworth gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 12.7% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 13.3% to 23.5%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Nuneaton and Bedworth, 67.7% said they were Christian, compared with 83.1% in 2001. About 2.5% said they were Muslim, compared with 1.7% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh increased from 1.6% to 2.3%.

In Nuneaton and Bedworth, 6.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.4% in 2001. Across the West Midlands, 6.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Nuneaton and Bedworth increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, West Midlands and Nuneaton and Bedworth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Nuneaton and Bedworth

The percentage of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.5%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.8% in 2001. The percentage of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.3% to 6.8%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (which remained close to 89.0%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 89.8%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Nuneaton and Bedworth, but at a slower rate than in Coventry (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Nuneaton and Bedworth).

In Nuneaton and Bedworth, the proportion of private renting increased from 5.7% in 2001 to 12.7% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Coventry increased from 10.1% to 20.6%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of privately rented homes increased from 7.2% to 14.0%.

The rate of social housing in Nuneaton and Bedworth fell from 15.3% to 14.5%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 76.8% to 71.4%.

Private renting in Nuneaton and Bedworth increased by 6.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Nuneaton and Bedworth, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.8% to 6.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (79.3%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67.4% in 2001. The percentage of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.9% to 14.5%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Nuneaton and Bedworth decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Nuneaton and Bedworth, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Nuneaton and Bedworth working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 11.1% to 8.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.3%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 12.5% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Nuneaton and Bedworth decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Nuneaton and Bedworth, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Nuneaton and Bedworth

In 2011, 6.3% of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 4.0% in 2001. The 2.3 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 7.6% to 10.8%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 91.3% of people in Nuneaton and Bedworth said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 95.1% in 2001. About 1.1% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.6% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.3% to 0.8%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Nuneaton and Bedworth increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Nuneaton and Bedworth by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents that were unemployed increased from 2.9% to 4.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56.5%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 58.0% in 2001. The percentage of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents that were self-employed increased from 5.8% to 6.8%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.8% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Nuneaton and Bedworth increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Nuneaton and Bedworth, the West Midlands and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Nuneaton and Bedworth with children decreased from 31.9% to 30.2% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (59.0%) households had no children, compared with 57.4% in 2001. The percentage of households in Nuneaton and Bedworth with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 10.8%.

The proportion of households with children fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 30.7% in 2001 to 30.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 29.5% to 29.2%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Nuneaton and Bedworth, which comprised a single parent, increased from 9.2% to 10.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in three (35.9%) households had a married couple, compared with 42.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Nuneaton and Bedworth, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.4% to 10.4%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10.1% in 2001 to 11.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Nuneaton and Bedworth remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Nuneaton and Bedworth by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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